JP5176469B2 - vending machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vending machine that sells products such as canned beverages that are cooled or heated, and detects the leakage of refrigerant when hydrocarbon refrigerant used in the cooling or heating system leaks into the cabinet. Related to the machine.

  In recent years, a cooling system using a natural refrigerant made of hydrocarbons such as isobutane and propane has been desired from the viewpoint of protecting the ozone layer and preventing global warming. When using flammable hydrocarbons as a refrigerant in a cooling storage such as a vending machine, explosion-proof electrical parts are used, but for further safety, cooling is detected by detecting the leakage of the refrigerant. The thing which suppresses the amount of leaks by interrupting | blocking a container is proposed (for example, refer patent document 1).

  Hereinafter, a conventional vending machine will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an internal configuration as seen from the front of a conventional vending machine.

  In FIG. 6, the vending machine body 1 includes a plurality of storages 2 having a heat insulating structure, and a machine room 4 is disposed below each storage 2. Each storage 2 is provided with an evaporator 5 and an internal fan 6, and each evaporator 5 is connected to a refrigeration circuit. In the machine room 4, a compressor 7 and a condenser 8 constituting a refrigeration circuit are arranged, and one end side of the condenser 8 is connected to the discharge side of the compressor 7. Further, the other end side of the condenser 8 is connected to one end side of the second electromagnetic valve 11 via the expansion valve 9.

  A product storage column 3 is installed in each storage 2. Moreover, the storage 2 has the refrigerant | coolant leak detection sensor 12 in the downstream of the air of the evaporator 5, respectively. The refrigerant leak detection sensor 12 in the machine room 4 is arranged downstream of the compressor 7 and the condenser 8 of the air flowing through the room, and when a refrigerant is detected, a detection signal is output to the control unit.

  In addition, the vending machine includes a control unit that controls the first electromagnetic valve 10 and the compressor 7 of the refrigeration circuit based on the detection signal of the refrigerant leakage detection sensor 12. When the detection signal of the refrigerant leakage detection sensor 12 is output, the control unit closes each first electromagnetic valve 10 and the second electromagnetic valve 11 to block the refrigeration circuit into a plurality.

  The operation of the vending machine configured as described above will be described below.

When the refrigerant leaks from the refrigeration circuit in the storage 2, the refrigerant leak detection sensor 12 disposed on the downstream side of the evaporator 5 detects the leak and outputs a detection signal to the control unit. When the detection signal is output, the control unit closes the first electromagnetic valve 10 and the second electromagnetic valve 11 to block the refrigeration circuit into a plurality. As a result, the amount of leakage when the refrigerant leaks can be minimized.
JP 2003-178361 A

  However, in the vending machine, the storage 2 may be heated as well as cooled, and by disposing the leak detection sensor 12 in the storage 2, the sensor deteriorates due to being placed in a high temperature environment. was there. In addition, there is a problem that the performance of the refrigerant leakage detection sensor 12 is deteriorated due to poisoning by the gas generated from the sealant used for fixing the heat insulating material in the storage 2 of the vending machine. In addition, by disposing the refrigerant leak detection sensors 12 in each storage 2, the same number of refrigerant leak detection sensors 12 as the number of the storages 2 are required, which increases the cost.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems and to provide a vending machine capable of detecting refrigerant leakage at a lower cost and preventing deterioration of the leakage detection sensor.

In order to achieve the above object, the vending machine according to the present invention includes a refrigerant leakage detection sensor in the machine room below the storage , and the leakage detection sensor and the outside of the storage at the upper front position of the external heat exchanger. A space is formed between the heat exchanger and the refrigerant is leaked in the storage, and the storage and the machine room are connected by a conduit so that the leakage detection sensor can detect the refrigerant. .

  As a result, it is possible to detect refrigerant leaks in all the storage units with one leak detection sensor without disposing the leak detection sensor in the storage unit, and it is possible to detect refrigerant leakage at a lower cost and deterioration of the leak detection sensor. Allows prevention.

  The vending machine of the present invention can detect refrigerant leakage in all storages with one refrigerant leakage detection sensor, prevent deterioration of the leakage detection sensor, and can ensure safety even when refrigerant leakage occurs. .

Invention of Claim 1 of this invention is a vending machine provided with the machine room which accommodated the cooling system which cools the inside of the said storage in the downward direction of the several storage with the goods storage column which stores goods, A leak detection sensor for detecting the leaked refrigerant is installed at a position on the front upper portion of the external heat exchanger in the machine room with a space formed between the leak detection sensor and the external heat exchanger. The inside of the storage and the machine room are connected by a conduit so that the refrigerant leaking in the storage can be detected by the leak detection sensor, and when the refrigerant leaks in the storage, Since the leak detection sensor installed in the machine room passes through a conduit communicating with the machine room, the leak detection sensor installed outside the warehouse can detect refrigerant leakage, and a leak detection sensor is placed in the storage. Case, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the leak detection sensor for reasons such as poisoned by gas generated at about 50-60 ° C. resulting in a high temperature environment within the heating compartment, or the internal. In addition, since the leakage detection sensor is installed at a position in the upper front portion of the external heat exchanger with a space formed between the leakage detection sensor and the external heat exchanger, heat exchange of the heat exchanger Leaked refrigerant can be detected while preventing performance from being hindered.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, one leak detection sensor is arranged in the machine room, and the length of a conduit piped from each storage to the leak detection sensor. The leakage detection sensor is arranged in the approximate center of each storage so that the refrigerant can be quickly and reliably guided from the inside of each storage to the leakage detection sensor outside the storage. The time from detection to detection can be shortened.

The invention according to claim 3 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein each conduit piped from each storage to the leak detection sensor is configured as an independent pipe. And since each refrigerant | coolant channel | path is not connected on the way between each conduit | pipe, it can prevent that a leaking refrigerant | coolant penetrate | invades into another storage by backflow.

The invention according to claim 4 of the present invention is the physical property according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the refrigerant is a flammable refrigerant, and the flammable refrigerant has a higher specific gravity than air. , The combustible refrigerant leaking in the cabinet can be efficiently guided to the lower machine room.

  Embodiments of a vending machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vending machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention cut in the left and right directions and the left cut surface viewed from the right. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the vending machine according to the embodiment when the upper and lower cut surfaces are viewed from above. FIG. 3 is a front view of the main body of the vending machine with the outer door and the inner door removed from the vending machine of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main part showing a leak detection sensor in the machine room of the vending machine according to the embodiment and its peripheral part. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing a front lower part of the vending machine shown in FIG.

  In the figure, on the front surface of the vending machine main body 21, an outer door 22 for displaying sample products, giving and receiving money and taking out the goods is disposed so as to be openable and closable. There is a storage 23 for storing. Between the storage 23 and the vending machine main body 21, a back panel 24, an upper panel 25, and a lower panel 26 are disposed around the storage 23 as heat insulating walls made of urethane foam or the like.

  An upper inner door 27 and a lower inner door 28 divided into upper and lower parts are provided as heat insulating walls on the front surface of the storage 23, and the front surface of the storage 23 is configured to be opened and closed independently. The lower inner door 28 is provided with a merchandise outlet 29 that communicates with the interior.

  The outer door 22 is provided with a product outlet 30 and is disposed in front of the product outlet 29. A hanging metal fitting 32 is disposed in the upper portion of the storage 23, and all the products are stored by suspending a plurality of product storage columns 33, 34, and 35 for storing products such as canned beverages. When the product is sold, the product rolls on the chute 31 that is arranged below the product storage columns 33 to 35 and is inclined toward the product carry-out port 29 and reaches the product take-out port 30 through the product carry-out port 29. Receives the merchandise that was unloaded.

  Below the product storage columns 33 to 35, there is a cooling greenhouse 50 partitioned by the chute 31, and an electric heater 36, an internal fan 37, and an indoor heat exchanger 38 are installed in the cooling greenhouse 50. Specifically, the indoor heat exchanger 38, the internal fan 37, and the electric heater 36 are arranged on a substantially straight line in this order from the rear to the front of the storage 23. A machine room 51 defined by the lower panel 26 is disposed below the storage 23, and includes a compressor 39, a machine room fan 40, an external heat exchanger 41, expansion means (not shown), and the like. A cooling system is provided.

  And the indoor heat exchanger 38 in the store | warehouse | chamber 23 is cooled by the driving | operation of a compressor, and goods are cooled because cool air is transmitted to goods with the fan 37 in a store | warehouse | chamber. Product cooling is set at about 3 ° C. Further, by using the indoor heat exchanger 38 as a radiator by energizing the electric heater or switching the refrigerant circuit, the storage 23 can be heated, and the product is kept warm at about 55 ° C. during heating. Yes.

  As a refrigerant for such a cooling and heating system, isobutane, which is a flammable refrigerant having an ozone depletion coefficient of 0, a low global warming coefficient, and an extremely low environmental impact, is used. In addition, the machine room fan 40 is always continuously operated in preparation for when the refrigerant of the cooling and heating system leaks in the machine room 51.

  Further, in the machine room 51 arranged behind the outer door 22, an external heat exchanger 41, a machine room fan 40, and a compressor 39 are arranged in order from the front, and the machine room is operated by the operation of the machine room fan 40. The air heat-exchanged by the external heat exchanger 41 disposed on the suction side (windward side) of the fan 40 is discharged to a compressor 39 disposed on the discharge side (leeward side) of the machine room fan 40 or an evaporating dish (not shown). This improves the efficiency of the cooling system and the evaporation performance of defrost water.

  And the conduit | pipe 42 is provided in the lowest part of the storage 23, and it connects with the leak detection sensor 43 provided in the machine room 51. FIG. As the conduit 42, a copper tube, an iron tube, a stainless steel tube, a hose made of resin, or the like can be used. However, care must be taken so that the refrigerant passage portion is not crushed.

  In the present embodiment, the inside of the storage 23 and the inside of the machine room 51 are communicated by the conduit 42 so that the refrigerant (isobutane) leaked in the storage 23 can be detected by the leak detection sensor 43.

  In the case of the present embodiment, a resin conduit 42 is used. The larger the inner diameter of the conduit 42, the smaller the suction resistance and the easier it is to detect the leaked refrigerant. However, the wiring and piping processing together with the piping and electrical wiring of the cooling system connecting the machine room 51 and the cooling chamber 50 are preferable. As a result, the size of the conduit 42 is limited. Specifically, since the dimension passes through the notch formed in the front surface of the lower panel 26, the conduit 42 having an inner diameter of about 3 to 5 mm is used.

  The conduit 42 is arranged in front of the electric heater 36, that is, between the inner door 28 and the electric heater 28 so as to have an opening as a starting point, does not penetrate the inner door 28, and the lower panel 26 and the inner door. 28, a conduit 42 is formed in the direction of the lower machine room 51. The end point is connected to a refrigerant leakage detection sensor 43 attached to the external heat exchanger 41 of the machine room 51.

  The leak detection sensor 43 will be described. The leak detection sensor 43 is an L-shaped sensor attached by spot welding or the like to a heat exchanger guard part 41a covering the upper surface of the external heat exchanger 41 or an end plate part 41b attached to a U-shaped bent part of the pipe. The leak detection sensor unit 43b is fixed to the substrate unit 43a, and is covered with a resin cover 43c so as to cover the entire surface of the leak detection sensor unit 43b.

  And the cover hole part is formed in the upper surface of the cover part 43c by the number of the conduit | pipe 42, and the conduit | pipe 42 is inserted in the cover hole part. The storage 23 is thermally insulated into a plurality of chambers in the left-right direction by a partition wall 23a, and a plurality of conduits 42 are provided corresponding to the number of each chamber. A cooling greenhouse 50 is provided in each of the plurality of storages 23 partitioned left and right by the partition wall 23a.

  In the present embodiment, since there are three chambers, three conduits 42 are provided in the lower front part of each storage 23. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the leak detection sensor 43 is installed at a position near the center of each storage 23 at the upper front of the external heat exchanger 41 so that the length of the conduit 42 is shortened for each storage 23. ing. In other words, the single leak detection sensor 43 is configured to cope with the leakage of the plurality of storages 23.

  Further, each conduit 42 is configured as an independent pipe without connecting the other conduit 42 and the refrigerant passage inside, so that when the refrigerant leaking in one storage 23 passes through the conduit, leakage detection is performed. It is possible to prevent all of the refrigerant from being guided to the sensor unit 43 and backflow of some leaked refrigerant to the conduits 42 of other storages.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the space portion 100 is arranged at the upper front corner of the external heat exchanger 41 and the board portion 43 a of the leakage detection sensor 43 is not in contact with the fins 41 a of the external heat exchanger 41. Since it is formed in between and fixed by spot welding, the outside air sucked into the outside heat exchanger 41 by the machine room fan 40 passes through the space 100 and faces the leakage detection sensor 43. Therefore, the deterioration of the heat exchange performance due to the attachment of the leak detection sensor 43 to the front surface of the external heat exchanger 41 can be prevented.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the conduit 42 led from the right or left chamber is introduced into the leak detection sensor 43 by a conduit 42 independent of the conduit 42 in the middle chamber. Since all the conduits 42 are not penetrating, and are formed using a gap for routing the piping of the cooling system formed between the partition wall 23a and the inner door 28, a new hole is formed in the wall to be insulated. Since it can be configured without opening, heat insulation performance can be maintained. The space around the gap is insulated by urethane foam, a soft resin member, or the like so that outside air outside the cabinet does not enter.

  In addition, isobutane, which is a combustible refrigerant, has a specific gravity heavier than air, and therefore includes a leakage detection sensor 43 at a position lower than the conduit 42.

  In addition, an opening 30a is provided on the lower surface of the product outlet 30 and communicates with the machine room 51 through the opening 30a.

  In the figure, the lower panel 26, which is a heat insulating wall below the storage 23, is provided with an open hole 45 so that it can be opened in the event of a refrigerant leak, allowing the outside air to be introduced or the refrigerant to escape to the outside. The open holes 45 are provided in the respective storages 23, and these are normally closed and sealed / insulated by an open damper 46, and are configured to open the open damper 46 when refrigerant leakage is detected.

  Here, the opening hole is provided in the lower surface panel 26. This is because the specific gravity of isobutane, which is a refrigerant, is about 2, and it is easy to collect downward, so that the refrigerant can be released to the outside even when the internal fan 37 is stopped. is there. On the other hand, even if the refrigerant leaks during operation of the internal fan 37, it becomes the suction side of the internal fan 37, and external air can be introduced from the opening hole 45 and the refrigerant can be discharged to the outside from the product outlet 29.

  Here, the electrical parts installed inside and outside the storage 23 have an explosion-proof structure so as to satisfy the requirements shown in the Vending Machine Manufacturers Association voluntary standards (JVMA 2B001, Annex 2 “Safety of Cooling Unit”). Yes. This explosion-proof structure prevents electrical components from becoming an ignition source when refrigerant leaks from the cooling and heating system. The structure that diffuses the leaked refrigerant, the structure that keeps the surface temperature low, and the flame to the outside Includes a simple explosion-proof structure that does not propagate.

  The operation of the vending machine of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

  When the product in the storage 23 is cooled or heated, the cooling system or the cooling and heating system is operated to operate the internal fan 37 to control the product to a predetermined temperature. However, when there is little sale at night, the cooling system and the internal fan 37 may be temporarily stopped by a timer for energy saving.

  In some cases, the cooling system and the internal fan 37 are temporarily stopped as a peak cut operation during the daytime when the amount of power consumption in summer becomes a peak.

  That is, the internal fan 37 may be stopped as well as operating. When the internal heat exchanger 38 or the piping of the cooling and heating system disposed in the cooling chamber 50 is damaged and the refrigerant leaks, when the internal fan 37 is stopped, the specific gravity of isobutane is greater than that of air. Since it is heavy, it spreads over the bottom of the storage 23, that is, the bottom of the cooled greenhouse 50. Then, the leaked refrigerant flows out from the lower part in front of the cooling greenhouse 50 through the conduit 42 to the sensor housing 44, and the leak detection sensor 43 detects the leak.

  On the other hand, when the refrigerant leaks during operation of the internal fan 37, isobutane is stirred in the storage 23, but the stirred refrigerant is similarly passed from the lower part in front of the cooling chamber 50 to the sensor storage unit 44 through the conduit 42. The leakage detection sensor 43 detects leakage. Since the conduit 42 is shortened to reduce the pipe internal resistance, the refrigerant leakage can be detected more quickly and reliably. Moreover, since the leakage detection sensor 43 is provided in the machine room 51 below the storage 23, the refrigerant leakage in the storage 23 can be detected outside the storage regardless of ON / OFF of the internal fan 37.

  When the leakage detection sensor 43 detects refrigerant leakage, the open damper 46 is opened, and each storage 23 can introduce outside air or release to the outside through the open hole 45. That is, while the internal fan 37 is in operation, the outside air is gradually introduced to the outside through the product carry-out port 29 and the like while reducing the refrigerant concentration by introducing outside air. The refrigerant discharged from the product outlet 29 to the outside is drawn into the machine room 51 through the opening 30a provided on the lower surface of the product take-out port 30 by the machine room fan 40. It is discharged to the outside through a vent hole 51a provided on the back surface.

  When the internal fan 37 is stopped, when the opening hole 45 is opened, the refrigerant having a high specific gravity is discharged directly from the opening hole 45 to the outside, but is diffused at once by the machine room fan 40 and the concentration is lowered. In a safe gas concentration state, the gas is discharged from the vent hole 51a provided on the back surface.

  Moreover, since each storage 23 and the leak detection sensor 43 vicinity are connected by the conduit | pipe 42, since one leak detection sensor 43 provided outside the storage 23 can detect the refrigerant | coolant leak in all the stores 23. In addition, it is possible to detect refrigerant leakage at a lower cost than arranging the leakage detection sensor 43 in each storage 23, and disposing the leakage detection sensor 43 below the storage 23 heated to about 50 ° C to 60 ° C. The deterioration of the leak detection sensor 43 caused by the above, or the deterioration of the leak detection sensor 43 due to poisoning by the silicon-based sealant used for fixing the rear panel 24, the upper panel 25 and the lower panel 26 in the storage 23 Can be prevented.

  In addition, after the leakage detection sensor 23 detects refrigerant leakage, the open damper 46 is opened and the open hole 45 is opened, so that the pressure in the storage 23 rises and the refrigerant stays in the storage during the internal fan operation. Is discharged from the product outlet 29 and the like to the outside of the storage 23, and by continuously replacing the air in the storage, the concentration of the leaked refrigerant can be quickly suppressed below the flammable lower limit concentration to increase safety. Even when the internal fan is stopped, by opening the opening hole 45, it is discharged directly to the outside, and the concentration of the refrigerant leaked at once by the machine room fan 40 can be quickly suppressed below the flammable lower limit concentration to increase safety. .

  Further, in the present embodiment, the machine room fan 40 is always continuously operated in preparation for the case where the refrigerant leaks due to damage to the piping of the cooling and heating system disposed outside the storage 23, but leakage detection The machine room fan 40 may be operated only when the sensor 43 detects refrigerant leakage.

  Moreover, in this Embodiment, it was set as the structure which heats the storage 23 using the heater 36, However, The refrigerant | coolant flow path of a cooling system is switched, and the internal heat exchanger 38 in the storage 23 acts as a heat radiator. In addition, the external heat exchanger 41 may act as an evaporator, and the storage 23 may be heated with the waste heat of condensation (heat pump method). Even if the refrigerant leaks in the internal heat exchanger 38 during heating, As described above, since the refrigerant leaked by the leak detection sensor 43 can be detected earlier, the same effect can be expected.

  As described above, the vending machine according to the present invention communicates from the lower part of the storage to the leakage detection sensor of the machine room with a conduit, so that when the refrigerant leaks inside the storage, the leakage detection sensor arranged outside the storage. Since the refrigerant leakage inside the storage can be detected earlier, it can be applied to refrigerant leakage detection in refrigeration or refrigeration equipment such as a showcase using a flammable refrigerant or a commercial refrigerator-freezer.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view at the time of cutting the vending machine in Embodiment 1 of this invention into right and left Plan sectional view when the vending machine of the embodiment is cut up and down Front view of the vending machine body of the vending machine of the embodiment The principal part perspective view which shows the machine room of the vending machine of the embodiment 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main part of FIG. Schematic showing the internal structure seen from the front of a conventional vending machine

Explanation of symbols

23 Storage 33, 34, 35 Commodity storage column 41 External heat exchanger 42 Conduit 43 Leak detection sensor 51 Machine room 100 Space

Claims (4)

In a vending machine provided with a machine room containing a cooling system for cooling the inside of the storage below a plurality of storages having a product storage column for storing products, a leakage detection sensor for detecting a leaked refrigerant is used in the machine. A space is formed between the leak detection sensor and the external heat exchanger at a position on the upper front surface of the indoor external heat exchanger, and a refrigerant leaked in the storage is detected as the leak. A vending machine characterized in that the inside of the storage and the machine room are connected by a conduit so that they can be detected by a sensor.   One leak detection sensor is arranged in the machine room, and the leak detection sensor is arranged almost in the center of each storage so that the length of the conduit piped from each storage to the leak detection sensor is shortened. The vending machine according to claim 1. 3. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein each conduit piped from each storage to the leak detection sensor is configured as an independent pipe. The vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the refrigerant is a combustible refrigerant.